Fevered Pitch
by Ginger Bits
Summary: Poetry Collection. It doesn't take many words to paint a scene if you choose them with care. Some entries include sensual imagery, adult content, and yaoi. Others do not.
1. Undone

_Disclaimer: The unspecified but not indecipherable pair featured in this poem do not belong to me. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_Dedication: For Hutch. Your comments are enough to make a grown man blush. _

_5.30.07 _

**Undone  
****by Ginger Bits**

Bodies collide  
Balance topples  
Paradigms drift  
Fabric parts  
Hand wanders  
Breath catches  
Gold flashes  
Silver curtains  
Claws trace  
Ear flicks  
Fangs nip  
Hair raises  
Reason balks  
Growls blend  
Alpha insists  
Beta bends  
Nose quests  
Pulse quickens  
Touch tempts  
Protest dies  
Moon darkens  
Stripes fray  
Skin tightens  
Need whines  
Knees drop  
Fingers tease  
Knuckles press  
Eyes roll  
Head tosses  
Jaw clenches  
Pleasure groans  
Lips nuzzle  
Palms cradle  
Senses heighten  
World narrows  
Thumbs knead  
Tongue swirls  
Heat swallows  
Back arches  
Teeth graze  
Edge looms  
Fervor ebbs  
Privation whimpers  
Satisfaction smirks  
Positions shift  
Arousals stroke  
Sensation assails  
Want consumes  
Arms lock  
Hips snap  
Frenzy rises  
Wildness deepens  
Hunger snarls  
Thrusts strain  
Sweat trails  
Blood sings  
Heels anchor  
Toes curl  
Time slows  
Wave crests  
Grasp slips  
Release cries  
Shudders come  
Weariness claims  
Clarity slinks  
Regret hesitates  
Gazes linger  
Silence entreats  
Dawn waits

_

* * *

_

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_May Challenge Entry_


	2. Indulgence

_Disclaimer: The unspecified but not indecipherable hanyou featured in this poem does not belong to me. In point of fact, he is the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_Dedication: For Kittenish and Racing Stripes, who endured three drafts of drivel before a consensus was reached. _

_6.30.07_

* * *

**Indulgence  
****by Ginger Bits**

With flushing cheeks and needy sighs, he bares  
Pale arch of throat and leans with mute appeal  
Into the teasing brush of devil's snares.  
They grasp and twine 'round naked limbs to steal  
A groan as tangled strokes descend to thread  
Through blackest curls, that frame the eager rise  
Of whetted lust and burning greed. Knees spread,  
To take what languid slide of tongue supplies.  
When laden fingers delve and twist, heat roils  
In molten waves that tremble as they break.  
He sheds conceit, reduced to writhing coils  
As skillful whorls prolong the climbing ache  
To reach the frenzied peak from which he's tossed  
And snap the threads of self-control; he's lost.

**A/N: **In case you missed it, that was a sonnet. For this poetic form, the rhyme scheme is _a-b-a-b c-d-c-d e-f-e-f g-g. _In addition, sonnets are written in iambic pentameter, meaning that there are ten syllables per line, and every second syllable is naturally accented. In other words, this was a bitch to write.

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__June Challenge Entry_


	3. Regret

_Disclaimer: The unspecified but not indecipherable youkai in this poem do not belong to me. In point of fact, he is the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_Dedication: For my beta, Racing Stripes. _

_8.30.07 _

* * *

**Regret  
by Ginger Bits**

Whirlwind's roar fails to drown out  
Laggard clarity's urgent claxon—  
Spurring frenzied feet in their haste  
To outrun hope, to be too late.  
Death's taunt coppers the air,  
Dealing doubt's mortal wound—  
Leering from a distance, daring him  
To know the worst, to be correct.  
Foretaste's fullness lies dismembered,  
Demeaning effort's empty hands—  
Snatching rage's recourse, stranding him  
To face his shame, to be regret.

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, that was Koga.

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__August Challenge Entry_


	4. Exhilaration

_Disclaimer: The unspecified but not indecipherable hanyou in this poem do not belong to me. In point of fact, he is the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_8.31.07 _

* * *

**Exhilaration****: a series of haiku  
****by Ginger Bits**

I.  
Steadily striding,  
Relaxing into himself  
Finding his rhythm.

II.  
Leaning, lengthening,  
Surging forward, building speed,  
Preparing to spring.

III.  
Muscles coil and snap,  
Launching the hanyou skyward  
In a crimson arc.

IV.  
Momentary flight,  
Resisting and succumbing,  
Curving back to earth.

V.  
Wind rustles fabric,  
Lifting hair and cooling skin,  
Tickles pointed ears.

VI.  
Rushing unhurried,  
Savoring freefall's freedom,  
Exhilaration.

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, that was Inuyasha. A haiku is a poetic form in which the first and last lines each have five syllables; the second line contains seven.

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__August Challenge Entry_


	5. The Power to Protect

_Disclaimer: __The unspecified but not indecipherable hanyou in this poem does not belong to me. In point of fact, he is the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi._

_9.02__.07_

* * *

**The Power to Protect  
by Ginger Bits**

**I. ****Iron Reaver Soul Stealer**

Surrounded by his foes,  
A hanyou, barely grown:  
Not giving any ground,  
Knees weak from loss of blood,  
Outnumbered by the horde,  
No weapon but his claws.  
There is no other choice;  
Erase the threat and live.  
Strike now, and reave their souls,  
Send iron through their bones;  
Obey your instinct's call,  
Unleash your battle cry—  
"_Sankon Tessou!"_

**II. ****Blades of Blood**

He just ignores the sting;  
It's worth the cost in blood—  
Judicious sacrifice,  
Intended to release  
New blades, their spinning curves  
Keen-edged, a crimson flight  
Erupting from his claws.  
Success belongs to those  
So stubborn, they can find  
Out ways to gather strength;  
Use pain to turn the tide—  
"_Hijin Kessou!"_

**III. ****Wind Scar**

Knocked back, he gains his feet  
And charges in for more,  
Zeal blazing in his eyes,  
Expression dangerous.  
No enemy will harm  
Or take what he holds dear.  
Keyed off true power's source,  
It's someone to protect,  
Zinging transformation  
Uncloaks Tessaiga's gale—  
"_Kaze no Kizu!"_

* * *

**A/N:** These three poems are acrostics. That means that if you look at the first letter of each line, you'll find they spell a word or words. In this case, each stanza celebrates one of Inuyasha's trademark battle cries. _Sankon Tessou_, literally "Soul-scattering Iron Claws," is Inuyasha's classic claw strike. In the anime, its application is accompanied by the cry, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer." _Hijin Kessou_, literally "Airborne Blade Blood Claw," is Inuyasha's "Blades of Blood" attack. _Kaze no Kizu_, literally "Cutting Wind," is Tessaiga's "Wind Scar" attack. Incidentally, the meter is iambic trimeter.

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__September Challenge Entry_


	6. From Insult to Injury

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_09.07.07_

* * *

**From ****Insult to Injury  
****by Ginger Bits**

Shaking with temper, she  
Utters a warning; her  
Burning eyes telling of  
Judgment to come. If he  
Uses the tact of a  
Gauche ignoramus, the  
Aftereffect is the  
Typical sum. For when  
Insults are grumbled the  
Outcome's his downfall; she  
Needs just one word and he'll always succumb.

* * *

A/N: This poem is written in dactylic dimeter, and it is an acrostic, which means that the first letter of each line spells out a word.

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__September Challenge Entry_


	7. In the Village

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_09.28.07_

* * *

**In the Village  
****by Ginger Bits**

I.  
Expected to serve,  
Duty gives her days their shape,  
Overriding dreams.

II.  
Encounter with fate,  
Destroyer of fragile plans,  
Orchestrated fall.

III.  
Elderly Miko,  
Draped in tragic memories,  
Older than her years.

IV.  
Emanating light  
Draws an unsuspecting girl,  
Opens the portal.

V.  
Echo of someday  
Drops into the distant past,  
Overcoming time.

VI.  
Encroaching youkai  
Descend upon the village  
Only to be slain.

VII.  
Embattled humans,  
Defended by a hanyou,  
Offer startled thanks.

VIII.  
Errand most urgent;  
Determination unites  
One jewel, four souls.

IX.  
Endless wanderers,  
Daring to reclaim their lives;  
Opposing evil.

X.  
Exile finds his place;  
Dearer than any he knew  
Once upon a time.

* * *

A/N: A haiku is a poetic form in which the first and last lines each have five syllables; the second line contains seven. An acrostic is a poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word or words. In fanon, feudal Tokyo is often referred to as Edo. The village serves as the backdrop to the Feudal Fairy Tale.

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__September Challenge Entry_


	8. Real Boy

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_11.30.07_

* * *

**Real Boy  
b****y Ginger Bits**

Mislaid by death, you linger on,  
Almost against your will—a toy  
Repaired, a puppet with new strings,  
Ill-suited to the wicked schemes  
Of evil's puppet-master. Twist  
Neglect into advantage; plot  
Escape and cut your ties. Refuse  
The tragic role he's scripted; fight  
To write your own conclusion. Live,  
Exacting vengeance with each breath.

* * *

A/N: This poem is an acrostic, which means that the first letter of each line spells a word. **Real Boy** is written in iambic tetrameter.

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__November Challenge Entry_


	9. Ghost of a Smile

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

* * *

_10.03.07_

**The Ghost of a Smile  
****by Ginger Bits**

The errant expression eerily  
Skims his calm visage, banishing  
Illusory dispassion  
With an unnerving glimpse  
Of calculation—  
Chill portent of  
A swift and  
Certain  
Death.

_

* * *

__10.06.07_

**The Ghost of a Chance  
****by Ginger Bits**

Snared by fractured shards of memory,  
Recurring nightmares twist the blade  
Of soul-shattering remorse,  
Staining his tears crimson.  
A familiar voice  
Lances through the  
Miasma—  
"Brother,  
Fight!"

* * *

A/N: These are a nonets. A nonet is a simple nine-line poem which begins with a nine-syllable line. Each succeeding line is reduced by a syllable until you reach the final, monosyllabic conclusion. One of the themes for October's poetry challenge was _ghost_; hence, the choice of subject matter.

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__October Challenge Entries_


	10. Double Standard

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_11.05.07_

* * *

**Double Standard  
****by Ginger Bits**

Few took sides with the miko synthetic,  
With her plots and her lifestyle ascetic.  
Fangirls breathed relieved sighs  
At her every demise—  
When she died, it was justice poetic.

Many hearts felt a pang sympathetic  
For the boy whose sad smile proved magnetic.  
Readers wailed to the skies  
At the tragic surprise—  
That left none of his fans apathetic.

* * *

A/N: This is a pair of tongue-in-cheek limericks.

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__November Challenge Entry_


	11. Best Laid Plans

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_11.30.07_

* * *

**Best-Laid Plans  
****by Ginger Bits**

Resenting every decade this had cost,  
Sesshomaru considered with a frown  
The jagged stretch of rocks that must be crossed  
To reach his goal. Distracted by the crown  
Of wheeling birds with empty eyes, he reached  
Into his memories. How could renown,  
Once unsurpassed, be brought so low? These bleached  
Remains that towered over all had borne  
The brunt of accusation; words had breached  
That armor; wearied eyes had met his scorn  
Without retaliation and allowed  
This son to speak his mind. Though he'd been torn,  
He turned his back and chose the woman. Proud  
To claim her whelp, insisting that he must  
Protect his own, refusing to be cowed  
By sentiment within the court, he thrust  
Them all aside and died. Usurpers built  
Support as factions schemed to woo the trust  
Of Taisho's heir. Unworthy blood was spilt  
To prove the new lord's right to seize and hold  
The reigns of power and Tessaiga's hilt.  
His father's final wishes left him cold,  
A posthumous indignity that left  
Ambition thwarted. Loyalty made bold  
The fools who took and hid the fang; its theft  
Defended ardently because they'd made  
A solemn pledge that cheated him. Bereft,  
The stubborn taiyoukai sought out the blade,  
Pursuing baseless rumors until now—  
So close! The lost bequest had always preyed  
Upon his mind; this heirloom would endow  
His peerless strength with added might. The gaunt  
Remainder, armored still, could disallow  
His claim no longer. Take the fang and taunt  
The pestilential murmurers whose snide  
Remarks and wagging tongues would henceforth want  
For fresher fodder. Soon the blade would slide  
In place beside Tenseiga, lending weight  
As he outstripped his father's legend. Pried  
From this ignoble setting, its innate  
Potential, awe-inspiring once revealed,  
Would gild formidability, create  
A force before which any foe must yield.

* * *

A/N: I do believe I hate _terza rima_ as a poetical form. I thought sonnets were a bitch. At least with a sonnet, you only have 15 lines. This wretched thing threatened to go on forever. I'm not satisfied with some of the phrasing, but I'm glad to be shed of it. For the uninitiated, a _terza rima_ is written in tercets and follows an a-b-a, b-c-b, c-d-c, d-e-d, e-f-e, f-g-f (etc.) rhyme scheme, and ends with a final line or couplet (g, or g-g to follow the example). Traditionally, a _terza rima_ is written in iambic pentameter, though it is not absolutely necessary. For some reason, I found it absolutely necessary.

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__November Challenge Entry_


	12. Circumstantial

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_12.21.07_

* * *

**Circumstantial  
****by Ginger Bits**

They said I killed her:  
Her blood on my hands,  
Her life at my feet,  
Her death on my head.  
_How could they think that?_

They thought it was me:  
My lies bought her trust,  
My claws dealt the blow,  
My fault she was gone.  
_That's not who I am!_

They blamed the wrong one:  
His greed killed our hopes,  
His sham made us fools,  
His snare caught us both.  
_I will make him pay!_

He says I killed her:  
Her blood on my hands,  
Her fear taints the air,  
Her loss feeds my dread.  
_I can't hear her voice._

He spins the same tale:  
His taunts fill my ears,  
His glee mocks my shame,  
His words could be true.  
_There's no fucking way! _

He smiles at the thought:  
My rage found its prey,  
My heart gives a lurch,  
My future is gone.  
_Please… tell me he's wrong._

* * *

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__December Challenge Entry_


	13. Complicity

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_01.22.08_

* * *

_A/N: Explanation is in order. Since I've done haiku series in the past, when _**iypoems **_announced it would be hosting a haiku series challenge for January, I looked for a way to challenge myself further. This is the result. One hundred haiku—a diminutive epic. The central figure in my tale is Byakuya, and there are references to the events in manga Chapter 532, "Inside Naraku's Body" and onward, but the action quickly diverges. _

* * *

**Complicity  
****by Ginger Bits**

I.  
Illusion's master,  
Riding on a paper crane,  
Waiting in the wings.

II.  
Last of the hell-spawned,  
Trusted more than all the rest,  
Loyal to a fault.

III.  
Capable of choice,  
Daunted by consequences,  
Dreading the future.

IV.  
Treading the fine line  
Between disagreement and  
Outright betrayal.

V.  
Naraku's mistake,  
Should he live to regret it,  
Was freeing the beast.

VI.  
Jewel's dark captive,  
An ancient, untamed evil,  
Only biding time.

VII.  
Magatsuhi sneers,  
Remorseless in his disdain  
For the mere hanyou.

VIII.  
The coveted stone,  
Naraku's vile obsession,  
Could not be trusted.

IX.  
Distanced from the scene,  
Byakuya could see the end—  
His master's demise.

X.  
Doubtlessly followed  
By his swift and certain death  
At the victor's hand.

XI.  
Unless he took steps,  
His freedom would be short-lived,  
Lost at its finding.

XII.  
His life was forfeit  
No matter which side succumbed;  
Acting cost nothing.

XIII.  
The risk could pay off  
If it bought his redemption,  
Earned his tomorrow.

XIV.  
Pausing on the brink,  
Taking time to justify  
Self-preservation.

XV.  
Uncertain future  
Is better than no future,  
So the die is cast.

XVI.  
An orb suspended,  
Resembling the Jewel,  
Sphere within a sphere.

XVII.  
The spider's death-clench  
Yielding before his drawn sword,  
Offering ingress.

XVIII.  
Ignoring vague dread,  
Byakuya enters with care  
Taking precautions.

XIX.  
Becomes a mirage,  
Eluding all awareness,  
Cloaked in illusion.

XX.  
Senses on alert,  
Following distant tremors,  
Signs of a struggle.

XXI.  
Worse than expected,  
Floundering at his mercy,  
Caught within hate's web.

XXII.  
Willing prisoners  
Herded by phantom faces,  
Guests in the parlor.

XXIII.  
Divide and conquer,  
Planting seeds of doubt and shame,  
His favored techniques.

XXIV.  
Eager predator—  
Preying upon their secrets,  
Feasting on their fear.

XXV.  
Byakuya follows,  
Gathering information,  
Watching for his chance.

XXVI.  
The monk hears a wind  
Whispering tales of his end—  
Consumed by the void.

XXVII.  
Third generation  
Facing his mortality  
At _kazaana_'s edge,

XXVIII.  
Trying to protect  
The woman he has chosen;  
Fleeing from her side.

XXVIX.  
Slayer and fire-cat,  
Not so easily shaken,  
Taking to the air.

XXX.  
Determined pursuit,  
Refusing to let him go,  
To let him give up.

XXXI.  
Hope springs eternal,  
Making the future precious,  
Dimming past sorrows.

XXXII.  
Sibling reunion,  
Ending long separation,  
Beginning anew.

XXXIII.  
The hanyou struggles,  
Internal battles raging,  
Fighting for control.

XXXIV.  
Crimson-flooded eyes,  
Jagged violet cheek-stripes,  
Loss of self to self.

XXXV.  
Plagued by memories,  
Violent snatches of truth  
Veiled in _shouki_ mists.

XXXVI.  
Reason clinging with  
Tenuous tenacity,  
Grasping Tessaiga.

XXXVII.  
Blood-tainted fingers,  
Their silent accusation  
Driving him onward.

XXXVIII.  
Taiyoukai stalking,  
Ignoring his new shadow,  
Searching for a scent.

XXXIX.  
Silently seething—  
Untenable presumption,  
Willful encroachment.

XL.  
Magatsuhi's prize,  
Abduction of innocence;  
Height of dishonor.

XLI.  
Born of Tenseiga,  
Ephemeral existence,  
Something to protect.

XLII.  
Set upon wresting  
Rin from hell's repugnant hold,  
Whatever the cost.

XLIII.  
The miko suffers,  
Fretting over the hanyou,  
Ignoring her wounds.

XLIV.  
Her faith unbroken;  
In spite of appearances,  
Certain he spared her.

XLV.  
Sealed abilities  
Dulling her capacity  
To protect herself.

XLVI.  
Shifting reliance—  
Following Sesshomaru,  
Tentative ally.

XLVII.  
Byakuya watches,  
Fascinated by this change,  
Former mistrust gone.

XLVIII.  
Ready acceptance,  
Her unique capacity  
To forgive a foe

XLIX.  
A merciful heart  
Could swing things in his favor;  
Faint glimmer of hope.

L.  
Simple subversion,  
A secret complicity,  
The key to his plan.

LI.  
Catalyst for change,  
An indirect betrayal,  
Lesser of evils.

LII.  
Byakuya, Mirage,  
A child of necessity  
Crafts his invention.

LIII.  
Contriving a scheme  
Worthy of the Deceiver;  
Like father, like son.

LIV.  
Spider versus crane—  
Orchestrating tragedies,  
Pulling puppet strings.

LV.  
Guiding the players,  
Influencing their movements  
From behind the scenes.

LVI.  
Drawing them inward,  
A strategic convergence,  
Gathering of strength.

LVII.  
Reunited friends,  
A familiar formation,  
Banded together.

LVIII.  
Loud confrontation,  
Brazen promises of death,  
Pledges of revenge.

LIX.  
Trading pointless barbs,  
Wasting precious time and breath  
Like rank amateurs.

LX.  
Swift and decisive,  
The killing perfection strikes,  
Sword at the ready.

LXI.  
Until he sees Rin—  
Masterful exploitation,  
His Achilles heel.

LXII.  
Sesshomaru balks,  
A weapon rendered useless,  
Both hands have been tied.

LXIII.  
Her very presence  
Within Naraku's clutches  
Holds vengeance at bay.

LXIV.  
Byakuya sees it,  
Clarity's flash is blinding;  
The means to his ends.

LXV.  
Using the girl-child,  
The path of least resistance,  
The Gordian knot.

LXVI.  
They watch in dismay—  
Writhing tentacles hover,  
Then plunge savagely.

LXVII.  
Callous destroyer,  
Spearing Rin with brutal force;  
Blood coppering air.

LXVIII.  
Horror raises shouts,  
Anguished cries of disbelief;  
Sickened faces pale.

LXIX.  
Snuffed without protest,  
Mercifully unaware;  
Slaughtered innocence.

LXX.  
Screaming her outrage,  
The miko's purity flares,  
Brilliance breaking free.

LXXI.  
Inuyasha snarls,  
Tessaiga's length crackling  
Prepared for battle.

LXXII.  
_Shakujou_ claxon;  
Righteous indignation swells,  
Demanding justice.

LXXIII.  
The slayer's shock fades,  
Steeling into grim resolve,  
Hefting her weapon.

LXXIV.  
Sesshomaru roars,  
Rage clawing at his control,  
Gold bleeding to red.

LXXV.  
Retaliation,  
Relentless waves of power,  
Unified assault.

LXXVI.  
The tables turning,  
Prey rounding on their captor,  
Holding nothing back.

LXXVII.  
Feeling fear's first tug,  
Pride suffers a mighty fall;  
Naraku wavers.

LXXVIII.  
Calling on the Beast,  
Demanding its assistance,  
Finding himself shunned.

LXXIX.  
Magatsuhi leers,  
Denying his allegiance,  
Casting off all ties.

LXXX.  
Ever-devious,  
The Jewel's promise twisting  
Against its wielder.

LXXXI.  
Disillusioned late,  
Momentary disbelief,  
Time enough to die.

LXXXII.  
Tessaiga's fury,  
Bakusaiga's explosion,  
Unerring arrow.

LXXXIII.  
Incandescent blaze,  
Unleashing vindication,  
From the inside out.

LXXXIV.  
Purification,  
Burns away Naraku's heart;  
Second fiery end.

LXXXV.  
Sky-borne implosion,  
Spider's husk returned to dust,  
Victors in free-fall.

LXXXVI.  
Taiyoukai rising,  
Flashing upwards in pursuit,  
Tenseiga unsheathed.

LXXXVII.  
Unforgotten foe,  
Rin's abductor shrieks in pain;  
Blade of Heaven kills.

LXXXVIII.  
Regrouping below,  
Survivors trade sad glances;  
Bittersweet triumph.

LXXXIX.  
Sesshomaru's pain,  
Terrible to look upon,  
Tempering their joy.

XC.  
A barrier falls,  
An origami flower,  
Slowly unfolding.

XCI.  
Rising from ashes,  
Unwelcome incarnation  
Uncoils from his crouch.

XCII.  
Lifting a small form,  
Cradled gently in his arms,  
He meets haunted eyes.

XCIII.  
Stunned pupils retract,  
Disbelief written plainly  
Upon every face.

XCIV.  
Assuming a trick,  
Despair flames into new rage,  
Glad for a scapegoat.

XCV.  
Ignoring the risks,  
Byakuya dares to approach  
Dropping to his knees.

XCVI.  
Simple abasement,  
Act of humble submission,  
Earns his next moments.

XCVII.  
"I acted apart,  
Byakuya of the Mirage,  
Unknown accomplice."

XCVIII.  
"My life in your hands—  
I offer my services  
To the Western Lord."

XCIX.  
Piercing through the fog,  
A recognizable scent;  
Realization.

C.  
Rin's life has been spared,  
Accepting the gift and pledge,  
Sesshomaru nods.

* * *

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__January Challenge Entry_


	14. Four Souls

_Disclaimer: I have no claim on these characters. In point of fact, they are the enviable property of one Rumiko Takahashi. _

_A/N: These four poems are acrostics. The first letters of each section spell out a word. In Shinto philosophy, the four souls of the Shikon no Tama (Jewel of Four Souls) are __**Aramitama**__ (courage), __**Nigimitama**__ (friendship), __**Kushimitama**__ (wisdom), and __**Sakimitama**__ (love). I tied them to Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Sango respectively. _

_04.27.08_

* * *

**Four Souls  
****by Ginger Bits**

**I. Courage  
**A staunch protector stands  
Rebelliously against  
Attacking demons. No  
Misgivings sap his strength.  
Instead, he bravely draws  
Tessaiga—failure's not  
An option. Courage sends  
Marauding filth to hell  
And keeps his friends from harm.

**II. Friendship  
**Neglecting caution's voice,  
Impulsive girl unseals  
Goshinboku's kept boy.  
In splinters, scattered shards,  
Midoriko's last wish  
Invokes a feudal quest  
That binds the hearts of friends,  
As future's priestess wipes  
Miasma's impure taint  
Away with just one touch.

**III. Wisdom  
**Keen-witted holy man,  
Uniquely blessed with tact,  
Supports the group with schemes  
Heroic. Finding strength  
In spite of fate's bequest,  
Miroku seeks revenge  
In order to erase  
The curse of nothingness.  
A letch by choice, his hand  
Meanders. Worldly wise,  
A monk with reason's voice.

**IV. Love  
**Surviving slayer, sad  
Avenger, partners with  
Kirara. Sango's heart,  
In spite of tragic past,  
Maintains its grasp on hope.  
Intending to reclaim  
The brother she holds dear  
And free him from their foe's  
Malicious hold. She fights  
As one who fights for love.

* * *

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__April Challenge Entry_


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